Kalypso Media now offers a playable demo for Omerta  City of Gangsters, which features a pair of levels from Haemimont's upcoming gangster game. On a related note, Kalypso is partnering with Omerta, the long-running text-based MMORPG, and Omerta  City of Gangsters boxes will contain codes offering the chance to win prizes by playing Omerta. Back to the demo, it can be downloaded from AtomicGamer, DemoNews, Gamer's Hell, GamezCheck.de, Strategy Informer and Worthplaying. Word is the demo features "two levels from the upcoming Prohibition-era gangster game that mixes city conquest with tactical turn-based combat and heist planning. Grab the demo today to get a taste of Omerta, the game where its up to you to put together a crew of criminals and take over the city, block-by-block, through whatever means necessary."

FalconerHG wrote on Jan 24, 2013, 15:44:I don't know where they got the 15 hours from. Perhaps you can do it if that is all you focus on, but I think you will need at least 20 hours, probably a bit more. (my Steam says 50 hours, but that includes quite a bit of time where the game was running but I wasn't near the screen)

Also, someone noted that there is no tutorial. I haven't tried the demo (of course) but the full game has a very decent tutorial.

It's there on the official site's game features section that it's "15 hours of gameplay". And Steam states it's 16 SP missions. And there is a tutorial in the demo - at least there is in mine. Again, I actually liked it and I intend to buy it, just not at this price point. Hell, I'd even go $20 on it atm, but that's it.

"During times of universal deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act."

FalconerHG wrote on Jan 24, 2013, 10:50:I've been playing Omerta for a week or so (early access for a review). It's a solid, polished game and there is no reason to worry about a repeat of the bug-fest that Pegasus was.

Review is under embargo, so I can't go into details, but look for it on Hooked Gamers on launch day.

Great! Can't wait to read it!

Yep, looking forward to this (edit: the game, but I'll read your review too!). I've watched 4 Let's Play videos on YouTube (another reviewer, with permission to release the videos) and I'm worried that it will become a bit repetitive. Having a couple of dozen different building types is great, but if they're only different in name then every game is going to be basically the same.

I like Tropico, it's a good, stable and polished empire builder and I hope this is more of the same. Tropico 3 & 4 both had a problem where the early game was tough and slow (and fun!) but once you got to a point were your income was stable, it was zero challenge. I hope they've worked on that, to speed up the early game a tiny bit and slow down the late game a lot.

Prez wrote on Jan 24, 2013, 16:07:I am really interested in this. I still fire up "Gangsters" that I got from GOG every so often and still enjoy it. A mob strategy game is a wonderful concept. Yeah, Kalypso has a spotty track record with stabile and finished releases, but barring any complete show-stoppers I can see myself forgiving a whole lot if they get the "Godfather meets XCOM " vibe down. I think I'll wait on reviews instead of trying the demo (I only use demos to try out concepts that I'm on the fence about), but major kudos to them for releasing one at any rate.

Actually, I think most of their releases are pretty good. There are very few titles that are released without any problems at all, but I've played pretty much every Kalypso game to date and have found all to be of good quality upon release. I never played Pegasus, which even Kalypso is more than a little embarrassed (and sorry) about.

You mention XCOM: how long did it take Firaxis to fix that teleportation bug that made classic/ironman ridiculously frustrating to play? And what about that one ship where panning the camera would turn into a psychedelic circus? Kalypso is no better or worse than most respected publishers.

Word of warning though, this is not Gangsters. If you like Gangsters, I think you will like this, but the scope is definitely different. Also don't expect it to be much like XCOM (I mean gameplay, not the setting). It's a very different game.

FalconerHG wrote on Jan 24, 2013, 10:50:I've been playing Omerta for a week or so (early access for a review). It's a solid, polished game and there is no reason to worry about a repeat of the bug-fest that Pegasus was.

Review is under embargo, so I can't go into details, but look for it on Hooked Gamers on launch day.

Great! Can't wait to read it!

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. - Mahatma Gandhi

I am really interested in this. I still fire up "Gangsters" that I got from GOG every so often and still enjoy it. A mob strategy game is a wonderful concept. Yeah, Kalypso has a spotty track record with stabile and finished releases, but barring any complete show-stoppers I can see myself forgiving a whole lot if they get the "Godfather meets XCOM " vibe down. I think I'll wait on reviews instead of trying the demo (I only use demos to try out concepts that I'm on the fence about), but major kudos to them for releasing one at any rate.

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. - Mahatma Gandhi

I don't know where they got the 15 hours from. Perhaps you can do it if that is all you focus on, but I think you will need at least 20 hours, probably a bit more. (my Steam says 50 hours, but that includes quite a bit of time where the game was running but I wasn't near the screen)

Also, someone noted that there is no tutorial. I haven't tried the demo (of course) but the full game has a very decent tutorial.

Yep, it wasn't what I was expecting at all. I thought it was some console kiddie gangsta meets farmville crap game. It's a pleasant surprise it's not and the production values are much better than expected. I suppose the title is just crappy. Anyway, yeah, $35 for 16 missions/15 hours of gameplay is way too much. I wonder why they didn't do more or at least included an editor for people to create missions. I'd have bought it now if they did, as it stands I'll be waiting for it to hit the $10 or under mark too.

"During times of universal deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act."

So i played the demo, took me a little time to figure things out considering there really isnt a tutorial, and they have a movement system thats a bit clunky (xcom has spoiled me so). After the first mission which felt kinda boring i got to the 2nd one where the actual fun started to kick in. I dont think i'll be paying full price for this, but it is fun and i can see myself going for it down the line for 10$ or so.